Dear Paul and All I have consistently found it easiest to light pellets by making a conical depression in the centre of the fuel and putting all the liquid ignition fuel (kerosene) in the centre and immediately around it. This has the effect of running a hot flame over the conical surface enhancing the ignition sequence.
This is more effective than the same amount of liquid spread on the surface because it is harder to get the surface hot. After a few minutes the char bed is lit and things go normally. In this manner the kindling and tinder can be avoided. I have been in communities where kerosene is unavailable but diesel is. That is the case here outside Yogyakarta. The difference is a slightly heavier fraction included in the diesel so the conical is an advantage. The cone releases the fuel at the bottom of a hot zone and gives it additional time to be fractionated to proper gas. If you are all trying pellets, try a conical depression of the whole diameter. If you are using a Vesto-based secondary air hole set, keep the fuel just below the bottom holes. If you are using an Anderson gasifier just be sure the whole surface is a cone shape. Regards Crispin _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: http://www.bioenergylists.org/
